Descent retarder



July 20, 1948. l l.. JoHNs'roN 2,445,400

DES CENT RETARDEH Filed Nov. 27, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 Fi .2 n INVENToR.

LoREENE JoHNsToN yJuly 20, 1948. 1 JOHNSTON DESCENT RETARDER Filed Nov.27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 5 3 gi Patented July 20, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE DESCENT RETARDER Loreene J ohnston, Cleveland, OhioApplication November 27, 1944, Serial No. 565,236 5 claims. (ci.244-139) Another object is to provide a device ofthe type mentionedwhich may be made to operate automatically in emergencies.

A further object is to constructsuch device as a separate unit, that maybe standardized for easy interchange or replacement;

Astill further object is to utilize a pneumatic form of quick and easyoperation for a device of this type.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following speciiication and claims,` t-

gether with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are referredto and indicatedby like reference characters and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a conventional singlemotored plane equippedwith the instant safety speed retarding device; f

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the plane shown inthe Figure i, and taken alongthe line and in the direction of the arrows2--2 thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an airplane wingcontaining the device;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the portion'of the wing shown in the Figure3 and taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4thereof ;v

`Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectiona view of the device inits open or emergency position; Y

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional View of the device inits closed or normal position; and Y Figure 7 is an enlargedcross-sectional view of a portion of the housing, spindle and air lockused with the device. i

This invention -consists primarily of three elements: the housing, therepeller and the pneumatic control apparatus. Each of these elementswill be described in detail hereinafter and in the order just set forth.

The housing unit consists of a shallow chamber 2| and a deep chamber 22concentric therewith and opening thereint'o. These chambers are builtinto parts of the airplane in balanced positions' similar to the -onesshown in the Figure 1, of the drawing. Two devices may be mounted inthe.`

wings I2, one on each side, and two may be mounted in the fuselage foreand aft. The

bottoms of both the chambers are open and face' downward and may be madeof fairly thin or e depending upon the size and weight of the plane.

The deep chamber 22 opens into the shallow V chamber 2| and may be sixto twelve inches in diameter and two to six feet deep, depending uponthe size of the plane, Both of these chambers are mounted, in suitablerecesses, as shown.

The deep chamber 22 is divided horizontally into l two sections. The topsection forms an air cylinder 23 and the lower section contains thebearing 28 for the hereinafter described rotor spindle 32.

The top end of the air cylinder 23 has a port or orifice 2|! for theentrance of air which affects the hereinafter described piston 33. Thebottom part of the chamber is separated from the top part by the ring 29which closely encircles the spindle 32.

Just below the ring 29 and on the outside of the deep chamber 22 thereis attached an air lock 24. This is simply a pneumatically operated pin4or bolt v25 having a head or piston 26 that works against a compressionspring 21 in the small airV cylinder l1. The bolt 25 projects throughlche opening Eiland `normally engages the hole 34 inthe spindle 32, asis shown in the Figure 6.

The repeller element consists of a pin-wheel` type rotor 3| mounted facedownward as shown and which is entirely contained by the shallow chamber2|. The blades of the rotor open downward and when in the normal orIcontained position, are not affectedby air flowing past the bottomsurface of the wing.

The rotor 3| is rigidly mounted on the shaftA or spindle 32 which isfairly substantial, slidable and-capable of practically free rotation inthe bearing 28. The top end of the spindle 32A has The air-control meansconsists of a supply or a source of compressed air. This may be either atank of compressed air or a small, light weight mechanical aircompressor, of which tlhere are erated valve or an automatic devicewhich funcv tionsduring an emergency and which is com-y Y, 'u lrotor,`while 1n sa1d projected position.

monly known as a dead mans control.

The devices are mounted in the planemernbers-r as shown in the Figuresl, 2, 3 and 4. UvEachrotor Y, is in its normal or closed positionvandthe pistons and spindles are up in the Vdee-p chamber as v shown inthe Figure 6. The air lock 24 engages the spindle 32 in the mannerlheretoforementioned and the rotor and spindle, aswell as all the otherelements, are xed or stationary.k

When in these positions, the plane is flown and piloted in the regularmanner and its performance is unaiected in any way. TheV chambers 2l`and 22 arebuilt in the machine as part of the bracing structure and noadditionaly weight is added lfihereto. The repeller member or rotor isflush with the lines of theplane and theyopen-y ing does not affectnormal flight thereof.

In an emergency, the pilot operates the valve or the automaticvalve'comes into play, which-v ever one is on the plane. Compressed air isimmediately forced into the air lock 24 and acts on`l the bolt side ofthe. small piston 25 and against the tension of the spring 21. ously,air forces the piston 33 downward and moves the rotor outside of theushline of the planel body.

Either gravity or the force oi the air intheA f cylinder forces thepstondown.` to its fully extendedposition, as 4shown in the Figure 5'. Theair lock, because of the spring 21, engages the top end of the spindleadjacent to the neck 35 and thus prevents the force of the outside airfrom moving the repellerelements back into their respective chambers'.

The pin-wheel type of rotor, having a large;

air capacity;V rotates freely. This rotation, being necessarily limitedto'some degree by the friction of the hearing 28 and thedisk `29, has aretarding or braking Yeffect on the otherwise normal descent of theplane, the retarding" action being very similar to the retarding eiectcaused by the rotat-ionof helicopter or autogyro vanes.

It is obvious that two or more of these novel devices may be mountedanywhere on the plane,

making due allowance for other necessary appatype shown may also be usedefectively in this invention. However, no limitations of the in'-vention are intended except those imposed thereon by the followingclaims.

I claim:

Smultane- 1. In combination with an airplane having a body including aWall provided with an outwardly facing recess, a vertically extendingcylinder mounted within said body and communicating with said recess, apiston slidably and rotatably mounted in said cylinder, a rotor carriedby said piston and disposed for movement into and out of said recess,and means for locking the piston againstrotation when thepiston Vandthereby the rotorv is movedA to inoperative;l position within therecess, and for locking the piston and thereby j the rotor in projectedposition while permitting free and independent rotation of the pistonand 1.2. Thecombination as set forth in claim 1, wherein there is meansfor simultaneously releasing 'the locking means when the rotor isdisposed-in its inoperative position Within the recess of the'body andfor projecting the piston and thereby the rotor to operative position.

3. In combination with an airplane having a bodyV including awallprovided with an outwardly'iacing recess, a rotor movable into and outof said recess, and a single locking means forholding the rotor againstmovement when the latter 'is inits inoperative position within saidrecess and for holding the rotor in its operative-l position whenthesame is movedoutwardly of y the recess while permitting freerandindependent rotation ofthe rotor in its last l named position.

4. The vcombination as set forth in claim 3, wherein the locking meansis normally biased to operative, position and wherein there is vpneu- Imatic means vfor. moving the same to inoperative position whilesimultaneously projecting therotor outwardly of'said recess.

'5.-'In`-combination with an airplane having a badi/.including av wall*provided with an out-A wardly facing recess, a rotor mounted for move--menti`nto andv outl of`said recess to inoperative and operativepositions respectively, locking 'v meansfor holding the rotor againstrotation in its-inoperative position within the recess and for' LOREENEJOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CITED `Iy'he following' references arelof recordln the Vle ofthis patent:

.UNITED STATES PATENTSy Number Name Date' 1,135,537 vLake 1 Apr. 13 19151,140,444 Clark May 25, 1915 1,270,200 Peterson June 18, 1918 1,662,406"Thompson -`Mar. 13,l 1928 1,719,048 Eh'mig Julyv 2, 1929 1,765,818Alvistur l June 24, 1930 1,856,999 Kiss f 1 May 3, 1932 2,052,086Dornier Aug. 25, 1936 2,094,105 Myers 1 Sept. 28, 1937 2,227,204 p SepkoDec. 31, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Dec. '7,1936v

